Creating Safer Schools Anti- Bullying Information *Data Reference References

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1 Creating Safer Schools Anti- Bullying Information a. Data on School Safety * b. OUSD Strategies to Respond to and Prevent Bullying c. Protection, Intervention, and Prevention (PIP) Strategies i. Tier One: Prevention ii. Tier Two: Intervention iii. Tier Three: Protection d. The Roles of Bullying e. The Bystander s Role in Reducing Bullying *Data Reference CA Safe Schools Coalition Research: GLSEN: (data under Research) OUSD CHKS: References Eyes on Bullying, The Family Resource Facilitation Program, The California Department of Education, Queerly Elementary, Stop Bullying, 1

2 Data on School Safety Research indicates that students who are, or perceived to be, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender frequently face higher levels of bullying and harassment compared to their straight peers. The following pages outline OUSD s strategies to prevent, respond to, and protect all students from bullying. The California Safe Schools Coalition Research Indicates: * 7.5 % of California students reported being harassed on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation. 32% of students harassed based on actual or perceived sexual orientation were harassed more than 4 times in the past 12 months. 55% of students harassed based on actual or perceived sexual orientation reported feeling so sad and hopeless that they stopped doing usual activities of at least two weeks during the previous 12 months compared to 23% of students who were not harassed. The 2011 Gay, Lesbian, Straight & Educators Network (GLSEN) California School Climate survey indicated: ** 94% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students heard gay used in a negative way. 8 of 10 LGBT students heard other students in their school make negative remarks about how someone expressed their gender, such as comments about someone not acting feminine or masculine enough. The 2012 OUSD California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) Indicates: *** 47% of OUSD 5 th graders said they were hit or pushed in the past year at school. 13% - 27% of OUSD 7 th, 9 th and 11 th graders had been afraid of being beaten up at school in the past 12 months. * CA Safe Schools Coalition Research: ** GLSEN: (data under Research) *** OUSD CHKS: 2

3 OUSD Strategies to Respond to and Prevent Bullying Prevention, Intervention and Protection (PIP) The 3- tiered approach to school safety efforts will Increase time for instruction reduce administrative and teacher time spent on discipline; Help promote a climate of civility and respect school- wide; and Help students achieve social and academic success. 3

4 Tier One - PREVENTION Three Tier Approach to School Safety Define, teach, and acknowledge whole- school culture where positive behavior is expected. The goal is to create a positive school culture in which positive behaviors are explicitly taught and reinforced and all adults respond to problem behaviors in a consistent way. Annually train school staff, lunchroom monitors, frequent classroom volunteers, and anyone in regular contact with students, on school safety policies, procedures, and intervention strategies. Update staff on the procedures for completing the Bully Prevention Incident Report Follow- Up Form and the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Incident Report Form. Inform the parent community about policies and consequences by including them in the handbook and posting laminated copies in public spaces. Hold a school wide awareness event or assembly on school safety or violence prevention themes such as cyber- bullying or assertive communication skills. Celebrate different cultures, traditions, norms and family structures during school wide events or invite family members into the classroom to share their unique story. Regularly communicate with teachers about concerns they face in addressing bullying. Teach: Caring School Communities, Second Step, and Too Good for Drugs and Violence. Conduct classroom meetings to allow students to talk openly about bullying, review classroom rules, share concerns, and cooperatively discuss anti- bullying strategies. Have students role- play scenarios to practice identifying and responding to bullying. Teach assertive communication: make eye contact, use the bully s name, keep your voice calm, and use appropriate body language. Watch for signs of a student being bullied, such as: unexplained injuries, damaged or missing property, drop in grades, sudden change in social groups, change in eating or sleeping, not wanting to go to school. Allow students to work cooperatively so peers may develop a variety of relationships. Encourage classroom lessons and discussions that includes protected classes (gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, race or ethnicity, and nationality) in classroom discussions. 4

5 Tier Two - INTERVENTION Three Tier Approach to School Safety Responding and investigating to specific incident of bullying and harassment. Example; provide (a) training and support for adults specific problems bullying prevention, (b) training and support for youth to assist in addressing specific problem behaviors, (c) re- teach or affirm a specific pro- social skills, and (d) provide small group intervention aimed at a specific skill sets. When an incident occurs communicate and coordinate intervention strategies with support staff, mental health specialist, family members, and other invested persons. As needed, create a behavior contract with student, teacher, parent and administrators to explicitly outline appropriate behavior and consequences. Develop an action plan as needed with individuals involved in a bullying incident. Praise students who appropriately respond to incidents, avoid incidents, and improve behavior. Maintain open communication with parents. This may include, sharing school safety policies, providing resources on anti- bullying efforts and updating them about incidents their child may be involved in. Intervene immediately every time name- calling, bullying, or harassment occurs. Report each bullying incident in a timely manner by filling out a Bully Prevention Incident Report Follow up Form and/or Intervention Incident Report Form. Investigate each incident of bullying by privately asking open- ended questions to each student involved, including those who were bystanders. Consequences for inappropriate behavior should be consistent, fair, immediate, and escalate for repeat offenders. 5

6 Tier Three - PROTECTION Three Tier Approach to School Safety Provide direct, individualized support for students who are engaged and highly impacted by bullying (e.g. protected the student s targeted of bullying/harassed; interrupted the bullying). Provide on- going support by regularly checking in with person(s) involved in an incident of bullying. Depending on the situation, check- in may be casual or more formal. Refer individual students to programs and support services such as: Restorative Justice Program or Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Program. To encourage relationship building refer a student to an afterschool club, the Gay, Straight Alliance, or a team sport. Provide additional supervision where and when bullying occurs most frequently. Implement a buddy system for students who are frequent targets of harassment and bullying. Students may be paired with a peer they can depend on or an older student. Each incident of bullying should be taken seriously, reported and followed up as appropriate. The 3- tiered approach to school safety efforts will Increase time for instruction reduce administrative and teacher time spent on discipline Help promote a climate of civility and respect school- wide. Help students achieve social and academic success. 6

7 The Roles of Bullying Perpetrator, Target and Bystander Roles The Perpetrator / Bully: The person(s) doing the bullying. The Target / Victim: The person(s) being bullied. The Witness / Bystander: The person(s) observing the bullying. Types of Bystander Refer to the Three Tier Approach to School Safety on pages for specific ways to reduce bullying. 1. Students who Assist encourage the bullying behavior and occasionally join in. 2. Students who Reinforce are not directly involved in the bullying behavior but they give the bully an audience by laughing and making other encouraging gestures. 3. Students who are Outsiders neither reinforce the bullying behavior nor defend the child being bullied. These kids often want to help, but don t know how. 4. Students who are Defenders actively comfort the child being bullied and may come to the child's defense. Why should we pay special attention to the bystander? Bullying stops in less than 10 seconds, 57% of the time when someone intervenes on behalf of the victim; * Bystanders represent the largest group of students; and Bystanders can to be taught how to intervene safely. Bullying may be reduced if bystanders are taught: the significance of their unique role; how to safely intervene; and the importance of getting help from a trusted adult. Bullying is exposing a person to abusive actions repeatedly over time. Bullying involves a real or perceived imbalance of power, with the more powerful child or group attacking those who are less powerful. CA Department of Education * Hawkins, D. L., Pepler, D., & Craig, W. M. (2001). Naturalistic observations of peer interventions in bullying. Social Development. Blackwell 7

8 The Bystander s Role in Reducing Bullying How can a bystander reduce bullying? Don t give the bully an audience. Walk away when you see bullying. Share these strategies with students. Set a good example by being kind to the person being bullied and ask them what you can do to help. Stand up to the bully if you feel safe to do so. In an assertive voice say you don t like it and to stop doing it. Tell a trusted adult. Find Allies. If you feel safe to do so, work with friends to protect the victim and stand up to the bully How can adults support the bystander? Listen to students when they voice concerns about bullying they have witnessed or been involved in. Follow up. It is important for children to know their concerns were taken seriously and appropriate action was taken. Teach all students that bullies love an audience. Those who stand by, do nothing, or cheer- on the bully make the situation worse. Encourage them to think about what they would expect from others if they were in a similar situation as the target. Talk about their anxiety and fears around bullying. Bystander s fear of safety is often similar to those of the actual targets. Practice and encourage assertive communication skills and body language. Develop a plan of action if the bullying occurs again. The Three Tier Approach to School Safety on pages provides specific ways to reduce bullying. 8